Verizon used the slogan “Can you hear me now?” in commercials beginning in 2002. Actor Paul Marcarelli played a character who walked through different locations testing the reliability of Verizon’s wireless network.
The repeated question became a highly recognizable part of Verizon’s advertising. It dramatized a common mobile-phone problem: a call becoming unclear or dropping when a user moved between coverage areas. The campaign emphasized network reach and reliability rather than a particular handset.
Marcarelli later appeared in advertising for Verizon’s rival Sprint, beginning in 2016. This change often causes confusion about which company first made the phrase famous. The slogan’s association with Verizon comes from the earlier campaign, while its later use by Sprint was deliberately designed to challenge Verizon’s network claims.